Truck-Lites

I just adjusted the horizontal on my 2013. There is already another adjustment built in. There are two studs and the vertical adjuster. The studs are screwed all the way down by default but can be screwed out a bit... maybe to correct for frontend damage.

I unscrewed the inner ones about 2-1/2 turns (~1/8 - 3/16"). The hotspots are still there but don't actually converge at any realistic distance. That seems better to me, but time will tell. Before the adjustment the convergence was too weird, it looked like there was a spot floating out there like a ghost. I'll get the vert adjusted at a shop in the next few day and see where the hotspots end up.

Those studs aren't exactly horizontal so I had to bring the beams down a bit with the vert. The inners actually adjust the beam out & up.

c
 
Sharkey said:
Holy Crap!:shock: $1,400 is quite a bit of money for Jeep nipples, I mean headlights. You could get truck-lites and a 50" bar for that kind of money. Even so, post up pics if you get them because I would love to see the light output.
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I'm going with the bi-halogen version, $476 @ RallyLights.

On paper better than even JW Speakers. Based on this chart and readings below, low beams should out perform HID retrofits, don't know about high.

LOWBEAMgraph.gif


Truck-lites.
Hilldweller said:
Markers are at 25yards L/R, 50 yards L/R, 75 yards L/R
Jeep is on the right side of a 2-lane road; camera on hood in front of driver. Reading are taken at 12" height from road surface --- this is an important stat since the LUX number is higher at different heights. But, for consistency, the 12" number should be used to compare to other lights previously tested.

Ambient temperature 57 degrees F; ambient illumination from stars less than 1 LUX
Lights are aimed with about a 2" drop at 25 feet --- the lowbeams need to be aimed higher than many other types of lights due to the sharp cut-off and lack of ECE "uptick" for road signs.

Lux readings Lowbeam/Highbeam:

25Right-26/ 39 * 25Left-24/ 24

50Right-3/ 23 * 50Left-4/ 15

75Right-1/ 13 * 75Left-1/ 7

25 feet dead center 416/ 1870

8 LUX at 125 yards center; enough to read by.
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JW Speaker.
Hilldweller said:
Some numbers for the JW Speaker model 8700 7" round LEDs:

Ambient temperature 55 degrees F; lens temperature 69 degrees F

Lowbeam value in blue, high in red.

LUX at 25 feet, sensor moved to highest output spot. 630/1139

25 yards Right: 48/86 * Left: 16/17

50 yards Right: 6/30 * Left: 1/5

75 yards Right: 1/9 * Left: 1/3
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SMS bi-halogen.
Hilldweller said:
2 additional readings at 25' center and 109 yards center.

Lux readings Lowbeam/Highbeam:

25Right-86/ 94 * 25Left-21/ 21

50Right-23/ 46 * 50Left-9/ 17

75Right-10/ 25 * 75Left-5/ 11

25 feet dead center 715/ 966

109 yards Highbeam only: 14

And 37 lux at 109 yards with highbeams and Hella 4000 Rallye (Euro beam) burning.
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Beam shots from Hilldweller.
Hilldweller said:
Here's the 90mm bi-halogen on lowbeam:
Hella90mmLow.jpg


Highbeam:
Hella90mmHigh.jpg


And with the Hella 4000s burning:
Hella90mm4000.jpg
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chuckt62 said:
I just adjusted the horizontal on my 2013. There is already another adjustment built in. There are two studs and the vertical adjuster. The studs are screwed all the way down by default but can be screwed out a bit... maybe to correct for frontend damage.

I unscrewed the inner ones about 2-1/2 turns (~1/8 - 3/16"). The hotspots are still there but don't actually converge at any realistic distance. That seems better to me, but time will tell. Before the adjustment the convergence was too weird, it looked like there was a spot floating out there like a ghost. I'll get the vert adjusted at a shop in the next few day and see where the hotspots end up.

Those studs aren't exactly horizontal so I had to bring the beams down a bit with the vert. The inners actually adjust the beam out & up.

c
Click to expand...
I'm going to swap in the adjustment screws so I don't need to pull the headlights to adjust them. I did the same and split the hot spot so it's more like 2 little spot beams, I think I prefer them when they converge.
 
Trauma- What's with the total darkness just off the front driver's side with the bi-halogen? That doesn't look good, or safe. (I could be looking at the pic wrong)
 
Not sure if it would be visible in the driver seat. The way Hilldweller has the camera position, you see a lot more in front of the Jeep. Here's a shot of Truck-lite low beams and he said the bottom V/stinger artifact wasn't visible in the driver seat so your line of sight is probably where that cat thing is.

TL2low.jpg
 
Guess I'm just unlucky. Replacement came and and it has slight yellow tint to the light, noticeable looking at the headlights or when parked close to a wall. :naw: I read someone else having the same issue and they contacted Truck-lite about it and said it was within specs.
 
Mine crossed when I first installed them. After finding other threads about how the fix this, I adjusted the bottom inside adjustments and have them to where the beams almost come together. Looks like the lights on my wife's VW where the lights come together in front of you and light up the road ahead. I really like the way the truck lights flood the sides with light. I also ordered the horizontal adjustment screws from the dealer. $6 and will be here in 3 days.
 
Northridge4x4 said:
I agree I have ran both JW speakers and Trucklites and for the money in my opinion Trucklites are the best option.

David
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Hi David,
Not only money, also more quality product is a TruckLite.
here is photos of JW Speaker 8700
f675b24s-960.jpg
8175b24s-960.jpg
ce75b24s-960.jpg
2e75b24s-960.jpg
de75b24s-960.jpg
3e75b24s-960.jpg
175b24s-960.jpg
Here is translated post from Russian jeepers forum http://www.drive2.ru/users/prohodimec/blog/851962#a51641137:
"THIS IS NOT AN ICEBERG CAKE… THIS IS THE HEADLIGHTS 8700 MADE BY J.W. SPEAKER CORPORATION…

At first I want to apologize to everyone and anyone that I have recommended those headlights, as well as thanks to all that responded to my post and provided the necessary information and advised. This “PRETEND TO BE” a headlight was purchased in USA les than a year ago for the substantial amount of $1600 – adding to the cost of maintenance… The happiness of the new purchase was great … but not for a long time:
The first symptoms of the Chinese quality were — that the headlights didn’t fit well on my new Wrangler. From the very beginning the light wasn’t solid but blinking at any RPMs of the engine, even at idle… But the best was about to come… When exposed to rain or after a carwash the lights start condensing water – inside, and after a wile dries out. With the time the amount of the condensed water start getting scary to the point that they always were wet inside and looked bad.
I have decided to contact JB SPEAKER CORP. being naïve and assuming the company will do whatever it takes to solve the problem and make sure that the customer will be satisfied after spending a good buck on their product… extremely low quality product…
More than a month we have called the headquarters of the company on daily bases… in a meantime they suggested that I have flooded the vehicle and that caused the problem… Who knows me is aware how I pamper my vehicles… I haven’t barely driven it in a rain…(Aren’t the Jeeps designed for that? Especially for that?)
Been affected by the JB’s attitude – I have started gathering information from the people – I know and I have recommended the lights…Every other had the same symptoms and complains. Two of them also have decided to contact JB Speaker and had the same result as myself… — total denial.
I couldn’t wait anymore and I have removed the lights from the SUV and decided to have a look at the condition… the alloy base of the lights were poorly covered with some sort of powder coating allowing the moisture to get behind, get the metal to oxidate and eat it to the point of breaking trough… The glass as well was barely attached to the reflector… I have no words to describe the disgustingly poor quality that appears for the 8700 J.W. Speaker Corp. headlights. (The pictures bellow speak more that thousands of words)
Please J.W. SPEAKER CORP. enjoy the view of your creation after few months of use, pick up the phone and call China and tell them that the world is impressed by their quality which this time was proudly branded as J.W.SPEAKER"
 
Neptune said:
Hi David,
Not only money, also more quality product is a TruckLite.
here is photos of JW Speaker 8700
View attachment 65197
View attachment 65201
View attachment 65202
View attachment 65203
View attachment 65204
View attachment 65205
View attachment 65206
Here is translated post from Russian jeepers forum http://www.drive2.ru/users/prohodimec/blog/851962#a51641137:
"THIS IS NOT AN ICEBERG CAKE… THIS IS THE HEADLIGHTS 8700 MADE BY J.W. SPEAKER CORPORATION…

At first I want to apologize to everyone and anyone that I have recommended those headlights, as well as thanks to all that responded to my post and provided the necessary information and advised. This “PRETEND TO BE” a headlight was purchased in USA les than a year ago for the substantial amount of $1600 – adding to the cost of maintenance… The happiness of the new purchase was great … but not for a long time:
The first symptoms of the Chinese quality were — that the headlights didn’t fit well on my new Wrangler. From the very beginning the light wasn’t solid but blinking at any RPMs of the engine, even at idle… But the best was about to come… When exposed to rain or after a carwash the lights start condensing water – inside, and after a wile dries out. With the time the amount of the condensed water start getting scary to the point that they always were wet inside and looked bad.
I have decided to contact JB SPEAKER CORP. being naïve and assuming the company will do whatever it takes to solve the problem and make sure that the customer will be satisfied after spending a good buck on their product… extremely low quality product…
More than a month we have called the headquarters of the company on daily bases… in a meantime they suggested that I have flooded the vehicle and that caused the problem… Who knows me is aware how I pamper my vehicles… I haven’t barely driven it in a rain…(Aren’t the Jeeps designed for that? Especially for that?)
Been affected by the JB’s attitude – I have started gathering information from the people – I know and I have recommended the lights…Every other had the same symptoms and complains. Two of them also have decided to contact JB Speaker and had the same result as myself… — total denial.
I couldn’t wait anymore and I have removed the lights from the SUV and decided to have a look at the condition… the alloy base of the lights were poorly covered with some sort of powder coating allowing the moisture to get behind, get the metal to oxidate and eat it to the point of breaking trough… The glass as well was barely attached to the reflector… I have no words to describe the disgustingly poor quality that appears for the 8700 J.W. Speaker Corp. headlights. (The pictures bellow speak more that thousands of words)
Please J.W. SPEAKER CORP. enjoy the view of your creation after few months of use, pick up the phone and call China and tell them that the world is impressed by their quality which this time was proudly branded as J.W.SPEAKER"
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Damn, that's interesting. I've never seen issues with them before.
 
I noticed the pattern when I first installed them, but now after several months of use I don't really notice it. They are far better then stock.
 
I've been running them since April ('13). Way better than stock. I installed and aligned them following the tech article on Eddie's old forum (same article as on here). Very easy DIY install.

The "artifact" is visible but it doesn't bother me. It does make it hard to see in dense fog or heavy snow fall at night, but that's when I use my fog lights and slow down. The "flicker" is noticeable when I decelerate or I'm stopped. I think it's due more to my OEM alternator than the wiring harness.


-Matt
 
MattAlpha said:
I've been running them since April ('13). Way better than stock. I installed and aligned them following the tech article on Eddie's old forum (same article as on here). Very easy DIY install.

The "artifact" is visible but it doesn't bother me. It does make it hard to see in dense fog or heavy snow fall at night, but that's when I use my fog lights and slow down. The "flicker" is noticeable when I decelerate or I'm stopped. I think it's due more to my OEM alternator than the wiring harness.


-Matt
Click to expand...

There is now a adapter that you can use to stop the flicker

Sent from my SCH-I605 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 

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Just ordered mine! Should be here early next week can't wait to install and take some pics I've heard nothing but great things about these head lights and they have to beat the stock headlamps hah :yup:
 
MattAlpha said:
I've been running them since April ('13). Way better than stock. I installed and aligned them following the tech article on Eddie's old forum (same article as on here). Very easy DIY install.

The "artifact" is visible but it doesn't bother me. It does make it hard to see in dense fog or heavy snow fall at night, but that's when I use my fog lights and slow down. The "flicker" is noticeable when I decelerate or I'm stopped. I think it's due more to my OEM alternator than the wiring harness.


-Matt
Click to expand...

If you take time to adjust them in fog you can get them very good. I found that in the fog was the only time I could get them adjusted perfectly and then they work even better when it is not foggy. Sure it is a pain but worth it if you do a lot of night driving.
 
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